I finally had the opportunity to speak to Kaden this evening about his results and he has given the all clear to share them.
The surgeon said that when they got into his abdomen, the only thing they could see was the one mass that they originally saw on the scan. They looked all over and even looked in the other place he was having "tingling and tugging" and there was nothing there! This was a MASSIVE win for us! Kaden was very worried that he was going to wake up and hear that there was cancer all over.
The mass was located in basically the same spot as the first time around. This most likely means that they hadn't killed all the cancer cells at a microscopic level the first time. They also said that they don't know for sure if it was PMP (Pseudomyxoma Peritonei) or just mucinous adenocarcinoma like last time. We are awaiting results from pathology that won't be back until sometime next week. I know this doesn't mean much to those who I am updating, but if you care to google search you can see what the difference is between the two. PMP is a type of jellylike tumor that normally is found all over the belly. So if it is PMP it is rare that it would be in just the one spot, but VERY good that it hasn't gone anywhere else!
The tumor had grown around his duodenum (the first part of the small intestine that connects to the stomach) and the head of his pancreas. Something that she hadn't seen before, which is not shocking for us as Kaden has always been a medical anomaly. She said that it was extra sticky and took quite a bit of precision to peel it off.
The tumor was also sticking to his omentum. The omentum is a layer of fatty tissue that covers and supports the intestines and organs in the lower abdomen.
While peeling the tumor off, they noticed that his colon was turning a bit purple. She thinks that in the process of peeling, they may have cut the blood supply to the colon. This was in the same section where they had cut and reconnected before. She said out of caution, they cut the purple part out and re-did the connection that was there from last time. Kaden was a little disheartened to hear that, as living with a 1/3 less colon has been a challenge over the last 3 years, but the good news is the doctor said it wasn't much--maybe only around 2 inches.
Overall, she says Kaden's body did REALLY well and that on paper his recovery is going smoothly. I am sure it helps that he is a lot younger than most of her patients and that he is generally a healthy man.
Although we can never say "cure" with Kaden's cancer, we have been very encouraged by this news and for all intents and purposes is the best news we could have gotten! ---Barring a no cancer diagnosis. :)
The next couple of months will be a test of his strength, will, and patience but he is strong and he will get through it!
We have been buoyed up by the prayers, love, and support of all of you and we cannot tell you how amazing it is to have such a wonderful group of people supporting us!
